29 March 2008

It's Kylee's fault...she said I could!

It's been one of those weeks around here at Sunflower Hill, as the weather tries to play coy with us. And I confess to some decidedly moody moments this week, ranging from angry to discouraged to just plain sad.

Angry because of a new 'gardening blog' that basically wants to take advantage of others' work with no benefit to the participants who join the 'team'. I'm not going to post the link because they'll get no free promotion from me.

Discouraged because winter seems never ending. We got another six inches of snow yesterday, as did some of you in the US and points further west in Canada--talk about being weather-bludgeoned.

And sad because today should have been my parents' 50th anniversary. Would have been, had my father not been taken from us nearly three years ago by Alzheimers Disease.

Normally I'm a glass half-full kind of girl, rather than glass half-empty...but these things have been bothering me. So when the going gets tough, what does the tough do?Go looking at plants, of course. In this case, the orchids I've been thinking about for the past week or so, ever since I saw a nice collection of phalaenopsis in a farm market/nursery just after St. Patrick's Day. Just walking in the greenhouse, listening to the fountain splashing and the birds chirping and smellng hyacinths and daffs and soaking in the smell of green, growing plants is enough to raise my spirits.

Just why is this Kylee's fault?

Weeeeellllllll....she did a delightful post just yesterday about how we all know that she loves cats and plants. And she was faced with temptation: to choose a pretty cat that has been hanging around her place, or a pretty new orchid she's been thinking about getting. She asked which we thought she had chosen, and many of us, knowing and loving our friend as we do, said, "Both of them, of course!"And I confessed to having had visions of a new phalaenopsis in my house. And she said

So I did. It was hard making a decision for just one; several of the unusual ones had me REALLY tempted, but the greenhouse at this market isn't really designed to be holding plants this early in temperatures this cool. While there is heat in there, some plants are showing signs of distress, and are getting overwatered, over fed, etc to try to snap them out of it. Which we know won't work, so it really was my duty to rescue this beauty, wasn't it?

Now, I realize that in Kylee's case, she opted for both choices, and she did give me permission to do so too. But I avoided our kitty shelter today, just to be on the safe side. When I went down to the barn where my longsuffering spouse is working on his boat, I met this handsome, charming fellow, who LSS has been telling me about for weeks. And it was all I could do not to pick him up and bring him home. Newly neutered, sweet tempered, purrs as soon as you touch him, wants to be held all the time, and a 'talker' too. I think his parents would object; and I know our catchildren would. So I resisted temptation, halfway, anyway.

41 comments:

Good for you, Jodi. And how nice that Kylee inspired you ;-) I am enjoying your orchids vicariously. I went to the Zilker Garden Fest here in Austin today, where I bought some lovely and interesting plants. But I resisted the orchid temptation all the while telling my Mom about how hard it is when I see you and other bloggers growing such beautiful specimens. And I know that like that market, I would just end up killing them, so I do them a favor - not buying them and letting them live with some other nice, talented grower like you!

Bwaaaaahhhhhaaaaahaa! Hi, my name is Kylee, and I'm an enabler. LOL!! Want to know something funny? The one you chose is exactly like another one that I almost brought home with the yellow one. It was a bit smaller with just one spike, and cost just $6.99. Can you believe I didn't buy it? I'll be up there again on Monday. Oh, I just can't!!Great choice, Jodi! And if there is like here, it's just a matter of time before nother kitty shows up at your house, too. :-)

Ah...gardening and flowers.... such great therapists they are :-) and kitties well, they are the best therapists ever! This guy looks and sounds like a real sweetie. I bet he gets plenty of lovin' as he hangs around.

Jodi, I thought about you and Kylee today when we were at the gardening seminars at our garden center. They had lovely orchids and I drooled a while. But I know me and I couldn't take care of them so...

Sorry to hear you have been down. Your weather is enough, but to be bothered by a blog and then your parents anniversary is too much. It is never easy to lose a parent. Why don't you get Beth to threaten the blogger? :) That ought to scare the bejeezers out of them!

Good for you - going into a nice gardening centre is always uplifting and a very good thing to do at times like this . I do feel sorry for your sad mood and hope it will change soon. The weather in your part of the world isn't being kind to you att all - hope that changes too really soon. /Katarina

I knew as soon as I read the title of this post that you had a new orchid. I am surprised you don't have another cat. I think you deserve both after such a crummy week. Hang on Jodi. Spring will make to Nova Scotia soon.

Good for you, Jodi! You'll be glad you took the plunge. (But, well, don't you think your single plant looks a little lonely? I'm sure it would enjoy having a few friends...) Thanks for sharing the great photos, and sorry about the snow!

There is nothing like some flower therapy for when we are feeling on the half empty side of the glass. I've been tempted to buy some orchids as well with all the beautiful photos I've been seeing on the various blogs. My problem is I have an allergy to flowers ... imagine a gardener with allergies (I can vision another post coming about that). So I don't usually have blooming plants inside the house.The cat is adorable ... and would of made a lovely addition to the family, but resisting temptation certainly qualifies you to another orchid or maybe more.

We had another 4 inches of the white stuff here in Downeast, Maine. It's too chilly for much of it to melt today, so we're going to make a road trip to Bar Harbor to walk around town and enjoy the beautiful blue skies and pretend spring is coming soon.

From the looks of his tail, I think your kitty may have a bit of Maine Coon cat in him. Hard to ignore those purrs, isn't it?

Jodi .. if I say I give you permission to adopt another "child" will that work too ? LOLI understand the mix of emotions .. it really packs a nasty punch .. go with your instinct .. listen to the "inner you" and all those great quotations. Then ... do it all and eat some chocolate too ! *SMILE*Joy

I'm right there with you guys. When the going gets tough, get thee to a nursery....and fast. Nurseries work best for me, but what also works is a great book store - preferably one with a coffee shop attached. My kingdom for a cat, or two, or several. Baylee only likes cats for lunch, so that won't do.

It had not occurred to me until reading your post but April 9 will be the anniversary of my father-in-law's passing. Combo of Alzheimers and cancer. He was a sweet, dear man who we miss daily.

I hope that Orchid helped with the Blues. It's definitely a keeper. Is that cat part Maine Coon Cat? They're talkers also & that tail looks a lot like a Maine Coon tail. If I were to get a cat, that would be the breed I'd get.

OH----I wish I was there to cheer you. I would make us some comfort food and we'd look at our favorite blogs and compare notes about all the positive things going on with folk's gardens. What you need is a good trip to the south about right now....I'll be in my new house next week if you would like to see a bit of Spring. Let me go take a pic of my Yoshino right now---just for you!!! It's a big dark out right now and nippy too----but you need to see this Yoshino!! I'll dedicate it to you---brb!!

We are talking about getting a cat too. It must be something in the air. Our problem is Mr. Dog. We had a cat NOB, but Rags (Roosevelt Archimedes Gray,Esq.)lived with us first, and was a huge cat to boot. I just am unsure how to introduce a kitten to a full grown dog.I love the peach orchids, so pretty,but I haven't been doing so well with orchids lately.regards,Theresa

Hi Jodi : Sorry to hear your having a rough week , just as much snow on my side of the Bay . Friday after supper I went out and clipped a thicket I am trying to tame. The snow was falling softly and our stream gently gurgled as I worked, the world receeded,I felt quietly content. In the words of Oliver Cromwell " Nature can do more than physicians " Enjoy your new orchid and thank you for welcoming me to Blotanical - Rosie -

That is a fine figure of a tabby. He has beautiful markings on his face. Those orchids.... wow..their beauty takes the breath away.

Sorry, the weather is getting you down. What you need is a good dose of warm, sunny Spring. This is the right side of the year and it can't be long. Don't give up hope. Even as I write this.. seeds are bursting beneath the soil and getting ready to poke their heads out.

Dear Jodi, We are so very sorry for your anger, sadness, and general being down. You give us so much of moral boost with your posts and photos, we hope you can soon find your happy place as well and be back to your smiling, cheeky self. Retail therapy, in particular orchids have a healing power so you self medicated well. Hope you are better today.Frances

O, oh, sound like you've been bitten by the orchid bug ... hard. Why are the sweetest cats the ones you can't have? We have a very bad cat our daughter dropped off since she couldn't keep it in her apt. A playful but he has a nasty streak and doesn't know the difference between play and full blown attack so you could be petting him and in an instant it could go from playful swatting to claws out scratching and biting hard enough to draw blood. Hides and attacks our poor dog's legs leaving bloody tracks. Want a cat?

These dark days are depressing for sure, Jodi ... the mood envelopes the best of us. I have spend numerous hours photographing my orchids as a 'pick-me-up'. It works! I'm sending warmth your way ... though rainy, it's heading toward 50, a heatwave here!

JodiNice pictures of Phals --short for Phaleonopsis. The green house experience is a luxury. I only grow plants of The Laeliinae sub family like Catts, short for Cattleyas. The nice, no, one of the really wonderful thing about Catts are that many have fragrances some overwhelming and some subtile. Take a look at my website the picture of me some months ago on zenofwatering.com is just a glimpse of the eye candy that they present. I used to grow many different subfamilies but the Catts are my favorite now and thats all I grow. I will post some in future blogs.

I never imagined that a gardening blog could provide so much positive support. Next time I'm blue I'll take advantage of my online friends. As for the orchids, they can become addicting. I visit a farmers market pretty frequently and it's always a strugle to resist the tempetaion to add one to my collection...resisting the temptation to get another cat is much easier though :)Rees Cowden

Jodi,I've especially enjoyed these past couple of posts. It seems as though you're just having fun with blogging again! And I LOVE your orchid (and the pics of the varieties!). I, too, will enjoy it vicariously until I find out how to grow them! ha."Shady"

Wow! So, in that amazing way that community works Jodi, I would suspect that all of these supportive voices, all of these weighings-in by those who value you so much, who have been blessed by your kindnesses along the way and touched by this heartfelt post might have some of that same healing effect as flowers. Beautiful to see it all at work here.

Orchids seem safer than cats, Jodi - the flower faces don't plead with the same intensity as the feline expressions.

Thank you for the heads-up on yet another site ready to use garden bloggers for their own enrichment.

And I do understand the sadness about your parents' anniversary. My dad was able to celebrate their 50th but left us not long after.

Philo's dad died before his parents' golden anniversary - we sent flowers to his mom on that date which made her happy and sad all at once. So many things in our lives seem to balance on that cusp, don't they!

We have spring here, but my Illinois bones remember how slowly it came in the north... hang in there, Jodi!

"You can adopt the plants because they don't have homes, but you can't adopt the kitty because he already has one."

This is my mantra. It HAS to be because somewhere hidden in our garden (I haven't found it yet) is a sign written in kittinese that says, "Kitties loved here." So of course, we've got a new kitty friend that has come over from our neighbor to camp out on our front porch. His real name is Mooch and he's just like your visitor--a talker and a purry guy. He's almost completely toothless so we call him... Toothless Mooch of course!

Another orchid? Heck, he's so cute that I think that foregoing bringing him home qualifies you for TWO more orchids! (Or maybe that beautiful grassy plant behind one of the first pictures--I assume it's a phormium?)

Tough weekend here too. Very cold and also my daughter and baby grandson just moved in with me because of unhappy circumstances in her life. I may be too busy to post or socialize here very much but will read as many of your posts as I can.

Thank you for visiting and for taking the time to comment! It might take me a bit, but I will return the compliment whenever possible. Spammers--need not apply. Because I delete your comments and they will never make it here. Kthxbai!